


No alternative

by Bluespirit



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Action, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-25
Updated: 2011-06-25
Packaged: 2017-10-20 17:32:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluespirit/pseuds/Bluespirit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An earthquake and a declaration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No alternative

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. A prompt!ficlet for Tipsywitch who said 'John and Rodney - taking it to the next level..:) (whatever that may be...)'. I took that to mean literally (& emotionally!) :)  
> 2\. Thank you to Xanthe for the fabulous beta.
> 
> Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction and is meant solely for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.

The wall of the cave was crumbling, shards of rock fracturing and sliding into the chasm below as the planet shook itself apart around them. John could see daylight above – just a narrow gap but, hope to God, it was big enough for them to crawl through. The other exits had been blocked by rock falls, and they had no way of knowing if the Daedalus had even got their call for help with all the radiation this seismic shit had been throwing out. So, it was up to them. They had to get to the jumper.

There was a deafening boom as another explosion rocked the area, and John held on tighter and ducked his head against falling debris. He made sure of his handhold – the rock was slick with some kind of weird orange moss – and looked down at Rodney on the narrow ledge below. “Rodney? You okay?”

Rodney glanced up, face pale and scared beneath the scowl. “Oh, never better. This is a perfect way –” Rodney’s voice cracked, and John shouted a strangled warning as the rock began to break away beneath Rodney’s scrabbling feet.

“Rodney!” John shot out a hand, grabbing onto Rodney’s flailing wrist and clamping down tight, heaving and hauling until Rodney was able to get a footing next to him.

Rodney was babbling, breathing hard and shaking – adrenaline, exertion, probably both. “Please, John. Don’t, don’t let go. Please… don’t… don’t leave me.”

Jesus! Like he ever could. John squeezed Rodney’s hand tighter as they stood wedged together on the ledge. “Never gonna happen, buddy.” He pressed his mouth against Rodney’s temple and just breathed. “Never.”

Rodney’s eyes were wide, saying so much more than even his always mobile mouth could. “I… it’s been a few months that we’ve been… But we haven’t actually said – out loud, I mean, but you know that I…”

John smiled and nodded. Yeah, it had taken some missed steps and stalled starts, but they’d made it in the end, and it was better than anything he’d ever let himself dream. “I know… me, too.” The tremors were getting worse. “Come on, buddy. Not far to go now.”

They were going to make it out. There was no alternative – not now that John finally had something to lose.


End file.
